Motor vehicle



L. w. CQPPOCK MOTOR VEHICLE Filed Feb. 4, 1925 pil 16, 1929.

alitoznu .HEM

'Patented Apr. 16, i929.

. Kiaonsnn, or cienvntaiiio,V ofi-rio.

I stares arge-TENT.

LnivrB'EiaT W. corioci,l or cLnvELAun, onioQf-Assieuon oir' cian-riensfro antivirus, i.;

VMoroniraniens,

' Application fue@ February 4', 19725. 'serial No. efii.v

to' yield in different directions vwithout sub j'ected it or the 'frame'to unusual and destructible stresses. s

Itis a further object of the invention to provide a spring mounting of atypesuitable for trans'niitting end thrusts `between the spring and theframe and atvthe same time permitting ajunivers'a'l swivelling movementbetween one end and the frame.' It is a fur-k ther object of thisinvention to provide a spring mounting that will eliminate the usualshackle connectionv with the frame, at One end and have in place thereofa form of connection f that will accommodate 'tl'ie lengthening andslioi'teningof the spring7 due to deflection, and also theroclringmovements of the end. v y 'Y Other objects of the invention and thefeatures of novelty will vbe apparent from the following descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings, of which: Figui-e1is a side v.elevation of a motor vehicle chassis, embodying myinvention; I

Fig.' 2 is an. enlarged side elevation of the connection between one endof the spring Iand the frame,Y certain parts being shown in 'secti'on; Ys I l Fig; 3' is` ai transverse section on the line Figui-e t is atransverse section on the line Z1=L1ofFig.2;A

Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevation of "the connection betweenv the otherend of the spring and the frame, certain' parts lbeing shown in section;.n s' l Fig; 6` is 'a transverse section on the' line 6' 6`0f1l`ig 5';.f Fig.' This a transverse section on theline 7 7 of Fig. 5'; and' y Y YFig.' 8 is an enlarged fraginentof Fig.' 1 with a modified form'of dustshield. y

Referringto the drawings 1()vr 'indicates one of the side members of thevehicle frame7 11 the front or steering axle and 12 the rear ver*driving Vlr'Accerding vto the usual.

custom each of the ailesy ifsconii'ected lwith thefvehicle frame byltivo multiple leaf springs, one of which is shovvn'at 13 and lconnectsthe axle 11 with the side ineniber 10.l @neef the `sprii'igs forconnecting the v.aule 12 with the vehicle .frame is 'indicated at 11i.V1While, in Fig; 1, I have shown the springs 13 andlli as Vlieing'ofnovel constructiomit will be lunderstood that' the invention covered bythis application is lnot limited tothis particular type of spring,

which vI shall describe in detail 'and claim The springs 1 3-andleiiiiay be of the usual semi-elliptic type in another application.

except for the novel forms `of mounting for the vends which invention. iv l K In Figs. 2'and' 3, I illustrate; in detail, vmy

novel form of connection between the forward end of the spring 13Y andthe side member l0, of the frame;- vrIhere vis secured f' siam rA('on's'titutes the present to the yside member 10 a hr-nor bracket 15.

having ay cap 16 secured to'v its. lower sidek lby., a plurality ofbolts 17. The bracket 515 andthe cap 16 are formedwitl'i a cavity 18betweenthem and the brachet'has 'a spherical bearing surface 19 whichcooperates" with y i a spherical surface 20s,;on'tli`e upper side ofthecap 16, to form a seat for a ball on the end of the spring v13. The mainleaf 21, of the spring 13, has its end/folded upon itself as indicatedat 2 2 andI there iis an opening 23 through this folded part of theend.V s Substantially heini-spherical mein# bers 21-and l25 are arrangedon the upper and-lower sides ofthe endjof the spring and provided withbosses which extend' into vthe opening 23 and thus locate and alignthese members@ The members 24- and 25 fare secured together, lon `the end of' the spring,v by means Aof vtherivet 26 Which'also entends throughthe opening 243. The inem- -bers '24 and 25 forma spherical ballv whichiits the bearing surfacesv 19jV and 20`7a1`nd thus -fornisabal'l-and-socket joint betweengthe end oi' the spring and tl'i'e`bracket `v`15.` This ball-and-socket joint permits universal swiveliingmovements kof the end Vlof fthe spring relative to the frame andv thus.aivpoids-.theldest ructive tortional stresses t'o which springs are.ordinarily subjected whenl connect'd .with the frame by the` usualiiinfuelrle. j'oiiiti "i AKi There is an opening 27` through which theleaf 21 projects into the. cavity 18'and it will be noted, from Figs. 2and 3, that the cavity. 18 is made sufficiently largeso that the edgesof the leaf 17 will rnotengage with the walls of the cavity. 'Ihccavity18 also provides ample space for lubricant n which may be suppliedthereto through vthe` connection 28 and thus provide ample lubrication:torY the bearing surfaces 19 and 20. In order to exclude dust from thecavity Y V18 the outersurfaces of the bracket15 and ves the cap16,'around the opening'27, are made of spherical form and a dust shield29 surrounds the end ofthe spring and is provided Awith a lining 30of'le'ather or other suitable material which lits against said spherical`surfaces and also'closely engages the spring toY form a tight jointwhich will exclude dust. A sleevee31 is slipped over the end ofthespring and abuts the end of the leaf 32. Ayspring 33 `engages theshield 29 and the ysleeve 31 and resiliently presses the lining 30against the bracket 15 and cap 16 so as to provide Va tight joint at alltimes and yetV yaccommodate t-he relative movements between the springand the bracket.

AIn Figs. and 6, I have illustrated, in detail, the connection kbetweenthe rear end of the spring 14 and the side'member 10 and it will beunderstood that the connection at the rear end of the spring 13 will be,prefer* ably, of the same character. There is a horn orl bracket34 onthev rear end of the side `member Aand-this bracket has a lcap 35 at ingthereon, as the vspring deflects, and also vto slide back and forth toaccommodate the lengthening and shortening of the spring due to itsdeflection. The side walls of the cavity 37 closely tit the edges of thespring Aso as to allow only a minimum of'lateral play at `these pointsand the enlargement of the cavity 37 ,1 as shown in Fig. 5, provides`ample spacel for lubricant which may be sup- -plied through theconnection` 42.

In order to close the opening into the cavity 37,.,through which themain leaf 40 projects, a dust shield 43 is provided, this shield beingsimilar to the shield27 and having-a lining 44 of leather or othersuitable mate-V rial. The shield 43 cooperates with cylindrical orsphericalsurfaces on the bracketI 34 and cap 35 so lthat theV shield 43`will be The main leaf of effective in excluding dust notwithstanding themovements of the spring relative to the bracket 34. A clip 45 is securedon the spring and a sleeve 46 similar to the sleeve 31 abuts againstthis clip and forms aseat for oneend of the spring 47 which also enf.,agesV with the shield 43 and presses the latter toward the bracket 34.

In the construction illustrated in Fig. 8 the bracket 34 andthe cap 35are formed with aligned grooves 48 and 49 and a boot 50, of leather orother suitable material of a iiexible nature,is secured over the ends ofthe bracket 34 andcap 35 and secured in the grooves 48 andi49 by anysuitable form oftie 5l. The other end of the `boot 50 is clamped aroundthe 'spring by meansof the clip 52.

My improved means for mounting'theends of the spring insure, as abovestated, `a universal swivelling action between the forward end of thespring and the vehicle frameand the ball-and-socket connectiontherebetween is adapted to transmit end thrusts between the spring andtheframe. The mounting at the rear end of the spring, above described,provides a simple form of connection which will compensate for 4thedeflections of: the

spring and,'at thesame time, avoid the diiculties which ariseawiththeuse of the ordinary shackle construction. mounting at the forwardendYofthe spring 13 will also be used at the forward end ofthe spring 14but, while I prefer to use the mountingsdescribed above at the forwardand rearward ends of each spring, it will be apparent that eithermounting may be used independently ofthe other and with The form oflother forms ofmounting at the yopposite. end

of the spring.

Havingthus I claim is:

1. In vehicle springs, the combination with the vehicle frame includinga bracket having a cap secured theretoV and forming therewith anenclosed cavity, there being. an lopening through which a leaf spring-is adapted to extend, of a leaf spring having described my invention,'whatl one end arranged in said cavity, the walls of said cavity havingopposed fixed ridges` engaging the upper andl lower surfaces. of saidspring and on which the spring may rock as it deflects, and saidA ridgesalso permitting longitudinal Vsliding movements of the spring thereon. lf

2. In vehicle springs, the combination with lthe vehicle frame includinga bracket having Va cap secured thereto and forming therewith anenclosedcavity, there being an opening through which alea'f spring isladapted to extend, of a leaf spring having one end larranged in Vsaidcavity, thefwallsv -of said cavity having opposedlixed 'ridges engagingthe lupper and lowerl surfaces of said spring and on which the` springmay rockas it deflects, and said ridgesfaiso permtting'longitudinalsliding movements of the spring 'in said cavity, the Walls of saidcavity havthereon, and means for excluding dust from ing opposed fixedridges engaging'the upper 10 said cavity. l and lower surfaces of saidspring and per.v 3. In vehicle springs, the combination With mittinglongitudinal sliding movements of the vehicle frame including a bracket'having the spring thereon.

a cavity therein and an opening through In testimony whereof I aiXmy'signature.

Which a leaf spring is adapted to extend, of a leaf spring having oneend arranged LEMBERT W. COPPOCK.

